Uber launches autonomous rides in Zagreb, its first in Europe

Uber, Verne and Pony.ai announced on Wednesday that they have begun offering autonomous rides in Zagreb, Croatia, marking Zagreb as the inaugural European city where users can hail a self-driving vehicle through Uber's application. Key details follow: present riders may summon robotaxis in strategic locations across Zagreb, such as the city center, with service availability and geographical expansion anticipated in the future, according to the companies.

During the initial rollout, a licensed operator will accompany the vehicle to oversee operations while the firms aim for complete autonomy, they disclosed. The autonomous driving technology is supplied by Chinese robotaxi firm Pony.ai, while Croatian startup Verne assumes the roles of fleet owner and service operator, with Uber integrating the service into its ride-hailing platform.

The launch follows a partnership agreement announced in March, with plans to extend the service to other European cities. Users can secure the service by requesting an UberX or Comfort ride via the Uber app, which displays vehicle specifics and instructions when a self-driving car is accessible.